Pikmin Evolution
by Dinomatrix21
Summary: The evolutionary process of the pikmin species, along with the final step to the pikmin as we know them today.
1. Chapter 1: Podmin

Pikmin evolved from a type of small semi-carnivorous plant that could uproot itself and move to different locations. These plants had very short life cycles, and although they fed off of small insects by secreting a sap like glue around them to ensnare them, they primarily fed on the decaying bodies of animals. Due to this, their bodies evolved to be similar to animal flesh in taste, texture, smell, and appearance.

They looked very much like a hodgepodge of plants mixed to form a creature. An upside-down radish served as the body, with small roots jutting out of random places on it. Small, tunicated onion bulbs were heads. The scape base at the top of the head grew long and thin, with more root structures growing from it. The arms were long and spindly, like thin tomato vines, and they had leaf like structures as appendages.

These creatures were a dark shade of black, usually living in large clusters in the shade of larger plants, where it was damp. Their bodies were basically two pods, one on the other, with a mass of simple root systems jutting out from numerous locations on them. These early pikmin, or Podmin, had no facial characteristics or real details, as their only life functions were breathing (in carbon dioxide, out oxygen), feeding on nutrients from animal carcasses and loose soil, and mating, by expelling small burst of pollen from their leaves. These creatures did move on occasion, but only to escape direct sunlight or to move to new soil when theirs was depleted of nutrients or began to settle. When they did move, it was extremely slow and only about a foot or two in distance.

Eventually, the vast forest the Podmin lived in began to die out. Evolution had to act fast to save the incredible roving flora. Their bodies to began to change in appearance and structure, inside and out. The first major change was within their main body and limbs. Instead of just simple, tubes pumping sugars and other bodily fluids around the organism, they evolved arteries and veins, pumping their cranberry colored bodily fluids faster through their bodies and giving them more energy to be able to move longer distances. They also grew thin yet firm wood like structures inside of them.

It was a basic skeletal structure within, basically a thin stick down the back of the Podmin, that branched off when near limbs. The limbs also had very weak cartilage-esque joints. The veins on their heads grew into a large singular leaf, and the leaves on their hands turned into more veins. These veins could be used to hold or move objects, like dirt or pebbles. With the new inner workings of the creatures, they began to move more often, moving further out of the forest, though still taking shade under larger plants.

The Podmin still faced a very hard to conquer problem: they often did not know where they were going. The weak sensory glands in the upper portion of their bodies no longer sufficed, but thanks to their semi-animal characteristics, they evolved large, black compound eyes. There were still small root endings coming from their lower torso's and upper "thigh" that helped them absorb nutrients from the ground. As the Podmin's forest became more and more savannah, the creatures were forced into open sunlight more often. As a result, their bodies changed in color from black, to grey to light grey. At this point, they were no longer Podmin, but Primin (Primitive Pikmin). This evolutionary process took about 70 years for the Podmin species to be considered true Primin.


	2. Chapter 2: Primin

Primin spent more of their time in the dirt surrounding their shady plants than in the actual shade. They discovered (metaphysically speaking) that sunlight gave more nutrients than just loamy soil, and so they resided within it. More often, they got up to move due to settling soil and they mostly got up to move in large groups. When they began to move, small sub-terrainian invertebrates (Sheargrubs) would tunnel above and attack them. The species began to die out in a couple of decades. They quickly evolved harder joints, letting them move faster and escape their predators, by running away whenever they saw one begin to burrow out of the ground. This tactic would prove useful for future events.

Some 40 years after the Primin got faster, a natural earthquake devastated their fields and forest homes. Many cave systems and tunnels opened up, connecting this naturally secluded area to others, both above and below ground. The Primin fled into the cave systems, the darkness enveloping them once more. In these darkened area, evolution began to work in reverse. The Primins natural colors got closer to black, but due the bioluminescent creatures (Glowstems, Iridescent Flint Beetles, Glowcaps) in the area, the retained a very faint tint of color. Over the years, different groups of Primin grew to colors of Deep Burgundy, Dark Goldenrod and Oxford Blue.

With the lack nutrient within the caves, the Primins size shrank, and they became much thinner. Being within proximity of so many bioluminescent creatures, the Primin grew bioluminescent leaves. In the immense dark, the creatures glowed, and they could signal to each other. There eyes grew from simply black compound eyes to more vertebrate like eyes, now possessing sclera's and pupils, though their pupils were almost always enlarged. The roots in their hands and feet shrank to conserve the nutrients in the dirt in areas. They now only had three small appendages on their limbs resembling small fingers and toes. To absorb more nutrients from the very sparse lights, the leaves on the Primins heads grew in stages, starting out as a leaf and then changing into a bud, finally blooming as a flower. At this point the species was now Prymin (Prime Primin), also known as Adams and Eves. These creatures very closely resembled today's pikmin, going through flowering stages having different colors and being the same in size proportion. The only real differences were the colors brightness and the facial differences. The evolutionary change from Primin to Prymin occurred in about 120 years.


	3. Chapter 3: Prymin

For a long while, the Prymin dwelled in caves until the population of underground bulborb nest multiplied. Larvae swarmed through caves, effectively devouring most life. Many Prymin found refuge on the surface, their pupils now shrinking back to normal sizes. Their leaves now grew much larger soaking up the sun easier and they spent less time in the ground, as they quickly discovered a new, more nutrient food source: nectar.

While uprooting grass to find a suitable spot to bury themselves, the Prymin came across nectar. They began to slowly absorb it with their roots, bringing any Prymin with buds or leaves to the flowering stage. Finding a new way to absorb this food source was crucial and the Prymin evolved small, lipless mouths that were nearly invisible when closed. They also discovered that if they could climb up the stalks of Pellet Posies and pry the crystallized nectar from the flower, they could feed off of this substance as well. The light reflecting into the crystallized nectar changed it's color, but when it hit the ground the light within froze. Soon, they developed the skill of attacking posies at the base. Though the flower quickly broke apart, it spread seeds and pollen around the immediate surrounding area, propagating the Pellet Posy species.

Due to the increased exposure to sunlight, the Prymins colors brightened, becoming three very distinct colors: Crimson Red, Aureolin Yellow and Majorelle Blue. The creatures lived quiet, simple lives, feasting on nectar and reproducing. The way this was accomplished was that Male Prymin (Red and Blue) of the flowering stage would mix pollen with Female Prymin (Yellow). The mixing of the pollens would give each parent a single seed of the same color to carry. Once the small ball of plant-animal matter was heavy enough, it would fall into the ground and become buried. After a few minutes, the stems would sprout and after a while a new Prymin would emerge from the ground.

Though the area the Prymin lived in was free from most dangers, there were still hazards from the planet itself. It was a sizable area, one that predators never went to. To the far South-West was an opening to a deep cave system, the ones the first Prymin had ever come out of. A narrow grassy path led to the center of a large clearing in the center of a forest. The forest was covered in patches of Sweet Grass and was over-populated by Pellet Posies. To the North-West of the clearing was a large, leafless, dead tree with many grooves in it's surface. To the North-East was a large rocky mound with many cracks that spewed fire at a moments notice. To the South-East was a small pond that came from a gushing stream, complete with lily pads and small rocks. Red Prymin mostly nested and planted their young in the rocky hills to the North-East of the Main Clearing. Though they mostly stayed clear of the fire geysers, the intense heat from the lava below the surface began to change their genetic structures to be able to handle it more easily. It was at this time that creatures began to venture closer and closer to the geysers, until eventually, they could stand in the flames without being killed. Since the Posies that grew in the area had tougher stalks, the Red Prymin evolved a thorn like appendage jutting from their face. Though this object seemed like a nose or a proboscis, its only purpose was to deal more damage to the Pellet Weeds in the area and easily slice through their stalks.

The Yellow Prymin nested and planted at the base of the large dead tree. The Pellet weeds of this area did not grow through the gravel ground, but instead grew from a small cliff that over looked the tree. Having to make continuous trips to the Main Clearing for food was becoming rather tedious, as was climbing the tree to reach the hill (the Yellow Prymin would make it to the top of the tree, but could not jump to the hill). Over the generations, the Prymin began to grow what appeared to be ears from the sides of their heads. Using the air catching abilities of these "ears" the yellows could hop, float and land on the hill easily being to able to tackle the Posies. On the hill dwelled small flying insects that discharged internal electrical energy (Anode Flies). While the pikmin would gather pellets from the hill, they were continuously zapped by loose shocks from the flies, but their ears absorbed small bits of the shocks and eventually they became used to it, passing this electrical immunity to their offspring.

Blue Prymin nested in damp mud holes near the ponds edge. A few Pellet Posies grew on the shore here, but the larger ones grew in the deep water, a place that the Prymin, couldn't get to. Occasionally, the Prymin tried to walk out to the Posies, but they could only flail back to land before they died in the water. Over a few generations, small openings appeared to the sides of the Prymins mouths. A thin fleshy substance could be seen and it was this substance that served as the blue Prymins gills. This substance found its way to the mouths of the Prymin eventually giving it a pink coloration. The Blue Prymins mouth now served two functions: eating nectar and pellets and breathing water. Their final evolution included a thin, almost see-through substance between their fingers and toes. These thin webs helped the Prymin to move faster in their new aquatic habitat, while being able to retain their terrestrial speed. With this, over generations, the Prymin could spend more and more time in the water, until eventually, they could spend their entire life's submerged under the surface (provided they had the right circumstances).

It was at this time in the Prymins evolution that they had evolved into true Pikmin.


	4. Chapter 4: Pikmin

Eventually, the pikmin groups began to gather more, intermingling more and forming relationships with each other, whether romantic or family-esque. To the north of the Main Clearing, the entrance covered by some figworts, were a series of small hills and plateau's, some higher than others, with sticks leading up to the higher areas. As with the rest of the Pikmin Paradise, the entirety of the area was surrounded by forest and over growth and any pikmin that had left the sanctuary had never been seen again. Each night as the pikmin huddled in their burrows, they could hear sounds from the surrounding areas, though the sources never entered their homes.

Early one morning, some 70 years after pikmin had first evolved, evolution was at work once again. Some chemical change in the pikmins genetic make-up had altered 3 of their young; one red, one yellow and one blue. Though the offspring were different, the pikmin continued to act the same as they always had, frolicking and playing together as usual in the late evening mist.

A yellow pikmin was playing tag on an upper ledge with a red pikmin and a blue pikmin. These three were caring for the new young. Of course they did not know this, but they continued to play nonetheless. The Yellow pikmin continuously ran across the high, thin ledges, the flower on her stem holding a small, yellow, circular bulb with black and white triangular markings in its center. A blue pikmin followed her, letting her take the lead. A small blue bulb of similar design, clung to the flat base of his leaf, trailing behind his head as he ran. Once or twice he fell, almost falling off of the thin strip of mossy ground once or twice, but he climbed back on and continued following the yellow pikmin.

Running on the ground below them was a red pikmin with a bud. In it, he too carried a small red orb, with similar markings. He stumbled a few times but never quite tripped. He was following after his to friends looking for a slip up in their patterns. Suddenly the blue pikmin fell off of the ledge and hit the ground. The red pikmin stared at him for a second, before bopping him on the head with his bud. He then turned and began scampering up the twig to the yellow pikmin. The blue pikmin quickly got up and ran off after them. As the red pikmin arrived at the top and began to look over the edge, the blue pikmin lunged at him. The blue pikmin caused the red to stumble into the yellow and the trio fell to the ground. The group got up and looked from one to another and then began to chirp in laughter.

Suddenly the ground began to shake. Deep grumbles echoed on the wind. All of the pikmin awake stopped playing and glanced north towards the forest. The noises slowly increased, getting louder and louder. The pikmin still sleeping quickly woke up, crawled out of their small burrows and headed towards the hills. The sounds began to echo faster and faster through the windy, misty forest. A huge, dark silhouette, with bright blue, glowing eyes was making its way towards the Pikmin Paradise, easily stomping over the stones and plants that the pikmin couldn't pass.

The Red Bulborb was enormous, stomping its way over the steep slope of rocks and pebbles. It reared up and roared, causing the pikmin to run and panic, tripping over each other in their confusion. The creature stomped forward, stepping on and killing several pikmin. The trio turned and looked in horror as the creature bent over and grabbed more pikmin in his mouth, crushing them to bits and swallowing them. The red, yellow and blue pikmin ran off, delving into the crowd of fleeing pikmin as the bulborb stomped forward crushing and eating more. Many of the pikmin were more than halfway across the Main Clearing when the Bulborb raised its head and uttered three short, but loud barks.

Just as it seemed the pikmin would make it to the underbrush and escape, the heads of two more adult Red Bulborbs burst through the bushes, snatching up and eating more pikmin. Smaller Red Bulborbs crawled through the brush as well, grabbing individual pikmin who were too slow and swinging their bodies back and forth by the stem or the neck, and then swallowing the mangled bodies. The trio saw what was ahead, turned and made a mad dash for the brush between the Fiery Crag and the Tiny Pond.

As the pikmin looked back on their ruined home, they could see the last survivors quickly being turned into a meal, being cornered by the smaller bulborbs only to be lifted into the air to be torn apart by the gaping maws of the larger ones. The creatures mashed up the pikmin, making short chortles and grunts, somewhat resembling the pikmins happy laughter.


	5. Chapter 5: Trials of the Pikmin

The trio quickly sprinted away heading through the dense forest with a group of only about 30 pikmin left. Soon they exited the brush and came to a large open plain riddled with tall grasses. The dirt in the area looked freshly upturned, and the exoskeleton fragments and wings of dead insect littered the ground. The pikmin continued running through the night almost silently, their little feet hardly kicking up dust in the clearing. Suddenly a blue pikmin with a bud tripped and fell over. As a yellow pikmin turned to help him to his feet, the ground to their right began to shudder.

Large purple grubs with pale shells on their midsections and enormous pincers erupted from the ground and quickly inched towards them. Just as the yellow pikmin was turning to run with the blue, the Sheargrubs pounced, each one snagging a pikmin and crushing it between its mandibles. The flat, mushy bodies were slurped from within the mandibles into the creature's mouths, leaving gooey blobs of meaty plant flesh on the ground. Small, pink, shell-less female sheargrubs burrowed up near the males, using their much smaller, harmless mouth parts to slurp up the pikmins remains. More sheargrubs pounced forwards from their underground holes, snapping at pikmin and eating them, as more ran around them in confusion and fear. When the pikmin had made it far enough from the burrows of the sheargrubs, the creatures retreated back into their holes, leaving fresh bits of pikmin flesh around their burrows.

The trio looked around at the few pikmin around them. There were only 10 (excluding themselves), and their chances for survival seemed slim. Unbeknownst to them, the key to their species survival lay within the trio. The small group ran down more crags and hills, eventually coming into a dark, secluded cavern. In the distance, they could see pairs of red, glowing eyes, staring at them from the intense darkness. The group continued running through the dark, keeping close together. Suddenly ahead of them, a group of pikmin ran into something. Whatever it was, it moved, slowly turning to face them. In the dim light of the cave, they could see a large, white creature with many wrinkles, long, sharp neon blue eye and a long trunk ending in a red tip. A liquid dripped from the creature's trunk, but before it could hit the ground, it caught fire and incinerated.

The group ahead turned and ran, and the others soon followed. But the large creature followed suit, slowly plodding after them. The creature eventually stopped and took a deep breath. The pikmin slowed down and stopped, catching their breath and resting for a moment. Then the Fiery Blowhog expelled it's flames. Many of the red pikmin tackled other colors to the ground shielding them from the flames, but two yellow pikmin were ignited. They ran around, shaking violently as their leaves and bodies burned to a crisp. They ran off into a small ravine, and two yellow ghost flew up towards the sky.

As the small group 11 pikmin ran off, a creaking sound echoed the cavern. From above, a large orb shaped creature, with long spindly legs and huge, padded feet came crashing down into the sand, sending pikmin flying everywhere. The creature began to walk off, in the direction of the large body of water. The red pikmin with a bulb helped the yellow pikmin up and the two began to look around for their blue friend. From off in the distance, a pikmins cry was heard. Two blue pikmin were crushed under the huge feet of the Beady Long Legs. The creature continued walking, stomping through the shallow water like nothing had happened. One blue pikmin continued running from the creature: their friend with the bulb. The red and yellow pikmin dashed forward, squeaking and crying, trying to save their friend. But as soon as they arrived at the waters edge, a blue ghost appeared from beneath the Long Legs feet. The blue orb he'd been carrying slowly rolled through the water and sank into the sand. The tip of the orb began to shudder and a small leaf appeared at the top, the very top of the leaf waving above the water.

The pikmin shuddered and turned away, walking slowly to the rest of their group. The 8 pikmin ran off, climbing a cliff to the forest above. All of the blue pikmin were killed, and all that remained were five reds and three yellows. The group ran through the forest, not wanting to stop, as the creatures that had decimated their numbers appeared from many different places. A buzzing sound filled the air and a green creature with long arms and huge red-orange eyes flew threw the group knocking over the small group and taking with it two yellow pikmin. The pikmin raced after the Swooping Snitchbug, tears filling their eyes as they realized that there was almost no way for them to survive. They climbed up one hill and saw the snitchbug flying in place, its antennae vibrating quickly to keep it in the air. It turned and threw the pikmin, where they hit a large, shiny black stone. Suddenly the stone rumbled and a large beetle turned towards them. The creature inhaled and spat and an enormous rock that rolled forward crushing the two and sending their ghost into the sky.

Now, there were only six pikmin, and only one of them was yellow. The last yellow pikmin stared through the stone gate at the place where her sisters had been crushed. She fell to her knees, wide eyed and unmoving. The red pikmin lifted her up and held onto her until she regained her balance. Then she took his hand and with the other four pikmin, they continued across the forest floor. Soon, they reached a small ledge. As the yellow pikmin and her friend were helped down by the other four something growled behind them. Growls and squeals were heard as the other four pikmin were torn apart by a couple of Dwarf Red Bulborbs. The last two pikmin looked up in horror as the creatures glowing blue eyes shined over the cliff. They turned and ran as fat as they could, the bulborbs running after them. Eventually they hit a large patch of sweet grass and continued through as fast as possible. Soon they hit a large clearing and paused. They could hear the bulborbs squealing in protest of loosing their meal, but eventually the little terrors stomped off. The two pikmin stood in the clearing unmoving for quite some time. The wind blew cold, but they were paralyzed by fear.

Soon a low gurgling sound echoed through the clearing. The yellow pikmin looked down and clutched her stomach, then looked back at the red pikmin. He looked at his own stomach and clutched it as well. They walked a little ways into the clearing and began to pull at the Sweet Grass. Soon they had ripped out a blade and the nectar pooled forth from the ground. The pikmin placed their hands on it and drank, filling their stomachs with the delicious substance. The red pikmins bud bloomed and the small bulb he was holding within it was visible in the flowers center.


	6. Chapter 6: Pikmin Extinction

The moon light was cut off for a second, before the pikmin had time to react, a long yellow beak with a black tip darted from the sky and snatched the yellow pikmin from the sky. The impact into the dirt sent the red pikmin flying but as soon as he hit the dirt he got up and began running. He turned to take one last look as the Burrowing Snagret swallowed the little yellow pikmin and her ghost flew into the sky. The little bulb she had fell down the small hole that had been made when the Snagret had attacked her. It lodged itself in the dirt and sprouted a small leaf.

The little red pikmin ran for hours. By the time he had stopped it was almost morning. He had run his course and he knew that there was nothing left for him. He stared up at the pale moon slowly descending over a hill as he thought about all of the trials he had endured throughout the night. The attack from the Bulborb. The Swooping Snitchbug and the Armored Cannon Beetle. The Sheargrubs. The destruction of the Pikmin Paradise. The Beady Long Legs. The Burrowing Snagret. His friends…

He heard a low growl. He glanced behind him and saw a terrifying sight. Both male and female Sheargrubs stared at him with shining black eyes. Drowsy looking Red bulborbs towered over him, licking petals and leaves off of their lips. A large black Bulbear stood among them, with a couple of Snitchbugs flying over head. He turned around and closed his eyes. He knew that this was his end. It didn't matter anymore.

The small bulb in his flower detached itself and fell to the ground, lodging itself in the soft dirt. From the tip of the small red orb, a white flower sprouted. And then the beast moved in.


End file.
